Eta-5 interceptor

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The Eta-5 interceptor was a type of snubfighter in use by the Galactic Alliance Navy as of 40 ABY. Its name suggests that it was a descendant of the Eta-2 interceptor, but it was apparently regarded as a type of A-wing.

The Eta-5 was powered by twin ion engines, giving it top of the line speed and maneuverability, but it had low armor and minimal shielding. It was equipped with dual fire-linked concussion missile launchers, laser cannons, and advanced computer targeting systems, giving it considerable punching power when it needed to engage small capital ships.

Wedge Antilles's daughter, Syal Antilles, flew this model when she entered the Galactic Alliance military under the name of Lysa Dunter. She joined VibroSword Squadron.

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[edit] Behind the scenes

It is not stated explicitly in Betrayal who the manufacturers of the Eta-5 are, and there are several possibilities. The original Eta-2 was built by Kuat Drive Yards, but at least part of the rights to the series of starfighters were sold to Sienar Fleet Systems around 18 BBY, and the division of KDY that had originally been responsible for the Alpha/Delta/Eta series, Kuat Systems Engineering, became an independent company in the early years of the New Republic. Any of these three companies, KDY, SFS or KSE, might therefore have produced the Eta-5.

It is also possible that the Eta-5, like CEC's LAF-250s, were manufactured under the wider aegis of the Republic Engineering Corporation—and REC may, of course, have been renamed under the Galactic Alliance.

In Fury, Syal Antilles reflects that her combat experience has been limited to "A-wings and Alephs". As she had seen battle in Eta-5s and Alephs in the earlier novel Betrayal, this has the unexpected implication that the Eta-5 was in fact a derivative of the earlier RZ-1 A-wing interceptor from Incom Corporation.

Alternatively, it is possible that "A-wing" is here being used more loosely to describe a design outwardly resembling the RZ-1 in appearance: the name has been applied to the Aurek fighter of the Old Sith Wars, and in a retcon, early appearances of the classic "A-wing" in canon are explained as representing a separate prototype design the R-22 Spearhead.

[edit] Appearances

• Betrayal (First appearance)
• Fury (novel) (First identified as A-wing)